Fire Stones - By Kailin Gow Page 0,3

gently, still staring into my eyes. “You have to trust me. I'll be the one to catch you, I promise. But you have to do this for yourself. You have to find the goddess within.”

“Chance...” I whispered, as his fingers slipped away from mine. I was no longer holding onto him, I noted – but I was floating of my own accord, suspended in mid-air. I kicked my legs, but there was no resistance. I wasn't falling. I was simply letting the sky carry me aloft. “Chance – I'm flying!”

“You are, my darling!” Chance's face broadened into a smile. “My goddess, my Mac! I always knew you could do it.”

I wasn't quite ready to let go of my nervousness just yet, but I was able to manage a small smile as I looked around. All of Aeros was laid out at our feet, so small from this great height. So beautiful. The cliffs that had once seemed so large and impenetrable – where Chance had rescued me from the mysterious mountain people – were so tiny from this angle. It had only been a some Saturdays ago, but it felt like an eternity. With school, with work, with life at the Cutter Imperial Hotel, it had been difficult to find time to spend alone with Chance, especially since I'd found out who – or rather what - he was. But at last we were able to spend time together, to feel that electric spark that connected us reignite once again as our bodies touched.

Chance floated alongside me, his shoulders against mine. He grabbed my hand, pulling me into him, and I could feel sparks of desire in my blood, coursing through me like adrenaline. How I longed for him to pull me closer into him, to press his lips against mine, to kiss me as he had kissed me in my dream, sending me into throes of ecstasy. I could see it in his eyes – he wanted it as much as I did. His eyes had the same burning, passionate gleam I had seen in my dream. He wanted me; he wanted to kiss me. He wanted to touch me.

But he didn't. Instead he pulled me down with him, flying towards the very top of the cliff where he had rescued me last. Gravity began to catch up with us, and as we approached the cliff our measured floatation became a frenzied fall, and at last we fell onto the soft, sweet grass in a heap, Chance's strong, muscular body on top of mine. I couldn't help but laugh. How extraordinary it was, I thought, to be on safe ground – safe, sound, earth; I laughed with relief. Chance's laugh echoed my own, and on his face I could see pure joy.

Would I ever have expected this, I wondered? After all, only a few weeks ago, I thought the glowering, brooding Chance was an arrogant pillock, thinking himself too good to lower himself to smile at a friend or lover. He had never smiled, then – only smirked in that cocksure way of his. But now on Chance's face I could see pure, unrestrained happiness, a sincere smile that, I knew, represented the purest part of ecstasy.

His face grew more serious, but the look of joy on his face remained. “I can't tell you how happy I am, my goddess,” he whispered, holding me tight. “To have you back in my arms at last.” He pulled me into him, his hand behind my neck. He lifted my head towards his, our lips meeting in a passionate kiss. At the touch of his lips I felt a new wave of fire coursing through me, a desire so strong that I felt as if I were shaking. I kissed him back, violently, my arms twining around the back of his neck. His hands were on the buttons of my shirt; I was fumbling with his clothing, my body and soul both frenzied with the desire to feel his naked chest against my hands.

And then I realized that I was soaked.

Chance and I looked up and laughed. It had started pouring rain – claps of thunder sounded out from the heights of the sky. The beautiful sunny day we had been experiencing only moments before had vanished; the sky was dark-black with clouds, the rain pouring forth in torrents.

“We didn't even notice!” Chance laughed, pulling me to my feet. “Come on, I know a place.” He grabbed my hand and ran with